EXE Does Nothing If BC.EXE Compiled from GW-Basic Binary Code (57931)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft QuickBASIC 4.0
- Microsoft QuickBASIC 4.0b
- Microsoft QuickBASIC 4.5
- Microsoft BASIC Compiler for MS-DOS and OS/2 6.0
- Microsoft BASIC Compiler for MS-DOS and OS/2 6.0b
- Microsoft Basic Professional Development System (PDS) for MS-DOS and MS OS/2 7.0
- Microsoft Basic Professional Development System (PDS) for MS-DOS and MS OS/2 7.1
This article was previously published under Q57931 SYMPTOMS
Programs saved in the Binary (the default tokenized) format in the
GW-Basic or BasicA Interpreter will appear to compile in BC.EXE and
LINK into an .EXE program without error in the Basic compilers listed
further below. However, the resulting .EXE file created from a Binary
GW-Basic or BasicA source program does nothing when run -- it just
drops back to DOS.
The BC.EXE compiler fails to abort and give an error message when you
mistakenly give it GW-Basic or BasicA Binary files.
RESOLUTION
To correctly create an EXE file from a GW-Basic or BasicA program, it
must first be saved in ASCII (text) format in the GWBasic.EXE or
BasicA.EXE editor. The following GW-Basic or BasicA statement will
save TEST.BAS in ASCII format:
SAVE "TEST",A
Binary format is the default SAVE format in BasicA and GW-Basic; thus,
you must explicitly save with the A (ASCII) option before BC.EXE can
handle the source file.
BasicA is an interpreter shipped in the ROM of some IBM and COMPAQ
computers. Microsoft GW-Basic Interpreter is shipped with some
versions of DOS, depending upon the hardware vendor or the version of
MS-DOS.
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in Microsoft Basic Compiler
versions 6.00 and 6.00b; in Microsoft Basic Professional Development System
(PDS) versions 7.00 and 7.10; and in Microsoft QuickBasic versions 4.00,
4.00b, and 4.50 (buglist4.00, buglist4.00b, buglist4.50). We are
researching this problem and will post new information here in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.
| Modification Type: | Minor | Last Reviewed: | 1/8/2003 |
|---|
| Keywords: | KB57931 |
|---|
|